Killing Two Birds
by Maid of Lorien
Summary: Not your classic James and Lily fic. Set in their 6th year, Sirius Black has an unconventional idea to finally bring James and Lily together. Of course, its not always that easy...
1. A More Perfect Union

Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Harry Potter franchise. I'm merely borrowing her characters and their personalities for my (and your) personal enjoyment.  
  
A/N: This is my first Lily/James fic, so bear with me. Actually, bear with the characters because sometimes they don't like to cooperate with me. Have fun!  
  
Chapter 1: A More Perfect Union  
  
Herbology was by far the dullest class James Potter had ever taken. One, it was utterly boring to transplant herbs and other strange plants. Two, they had class with the Hufflepuffs. Sure, they weren't a nuisance like the Slytherins but they weren't fiercely competitive as Ravenclaws. And finally, he couldn't bear watching Lily Evans being stared at lasciviously by Amos Diggory.  
  
His friends didn't seem to notice. Peter was listening attentively to Professor Fern, hoping to understand something for once. Sirius and Remus were talking in whispers, even if he wanted to, he couldn't hear a thing they were saying.  
  
"Prongs, I don't think Lily'll appreciate having holes burned into her. You know, if you stare long enough it happens, mate." Sirius muttered, keeping his head low.  
  
"I know that, Padfoot. It's just that stupid git Amos. I know what he's up to. He's gone around with every girl in his house. What to do now? Slytherin girls are beneath him, the Ravenclaw girls bore him and everybody knows its hard but worth it to have a Gryffindor girl. And who's the best damn good looking girl in Gryffindor?"  
  
Remus and Sirius looked at each other, smiling, "Lily Evans"  
  
"My Lily Evans!" James whispered fiercely, throwing a sick look at Amos.  
  
Remus sighed sorrowfully, "Yeah, she is. It's just that she doesn't know it. Face it, mate. She hates everything within a foot radius of you. How in the world are you going to make her fall for you?"  
  
James looked beaten, head hung low. "That's exactly what I was wondering."  
  
Sirius' eyes widened in realization. "Hey, wait a minute. I think I know what to do! I'll have to ask her, maybe she wouldn't want to. But she has to! And I know it'll be good for her too, but about how she feels for him, she'll have to understand! She's a Black, not some blockhead Hufflepuff so she has common sense. I think so, I'll ask her." He looked around thoughtfully.  
  
Just then, Professor Fern dismissed his class, waving them away with grubby hands. Sirius packed his books and ran towards the door, pausing to gesture to them and promptly left. The remaining Marauders looked at each other, and decided to let James open his journal. With each Marauder having his own book, it was very useful for writing to each other in class.  
  
The black leather journal bore a decorated "M" above his name. He flipped it open and gazed down at the page, the rest following suit. Words began to appear on the page. In Sirius's hasty hand, he scrawled "Gryffindor common room, midnight. Prepare to be dazzled, Prongs. You'll have her, just wait."  
  
***  
  
When the remaining boys finally fell asleep, James and Remus tiptoed from the dorms to the common room. The fire had faded in the night and diluted the dark, casting ominous shadows. It was almost midnight and there was no sign of Sirius anywhere. He told them he had to tie up loose ends and was being accompanied by Peter, so they waited by the fire.  
  
After a couple of minutes, they heard the portrait open. Expecting to see Sirius, their jaws dropped at who walked in.  
  
Her long glossy black hair swayed as she lithely plopped herself down onto a chair facing them. She smiled. Her eyes were cobalt blue; electricity and sensuality swirled together. "Hi guys! I'm waiting for Sirius; he wanted to ask me something. Do you know what he wants?" Her voice was smooth, throaty, and delicate. She was exquisite.  
  
James thought she was gorgeous. If Lily had no place in his heart, he would have definitely had been attracted to her. But she just wasn't Lily and that made him somewhat immune to her. However, Remus Lupin only barely remembered he had a girlfriend. He cleared his throat, looking somewhat flustered.  
  
"Yeah, er, he wanted to talk to us too. Don't know what though. You know what his plans are like."  
  
After ten minutes of small talk, Sirius finally made his appearance. Hair disheveled and slightly damp, he swaggered into the common room. His face was flushed and with a satisfied and somewhat goofy expression, he knelt down in front of the trio.  
  
"Duty called. Peter found his girlfriend and went to have a good snog in a broom closet. So I left them alone. I found a book and shag waiting for me in back of the library. Sorry I'm late." He grinned at the guys. "I see you met Andromeda."  
  
She was the first to answer, snapping at him. "Merlin, Sirius, I swear you'll never change. Ravenclaws are your favorite dish aren't they? But as your cousin, I do have the right to kick you into next week if you lay a finger on my friends."  
  
He chuckled, "You're right. They'll want me to lay more than a finger on them."  
  
"You're sick."  
  
"Grow up"  
  
He stood. "Mates, Andromeda, you want to know why you're here? Let's assume you do and I'll get started. We all know that James here is pathetically in love with Lily Evans. Yet, being an insensitive prat, he doesn't stand a chance. Unless he proves himself. Now, Andromeda Black's heart also belongs to someone. May I ask who?"  
  
"Ted Tonks, from Surrey. He's a Muggle."  
  
"So, Andromeda is very much in love with a Muggle. Now that's fine by me, but certainly not with the family. The 'Noble House of Black' would never allow a Muggle into the purest blood in England. To summarize: James and Andromeda. Two different loves. One unrequited, the other forbidden. What to do?"  
  
He paused to look at them, waiting for an answer. When he received none, he moved towards the fireplace, gazing into the ashes. Suddenly, he whirled to face them, grinning.  
  
"Now this is where the fun starts. Let two loves become one. Let the world think, know, believe that James and Andromeda are an item. Both of you have no attraction towards each other, your love for another keeps that in check. By letting people think Andromeda is going around with James, the Black family will have their suspicions thrown into the wind. And James, by escorting Andromeda, will gain a sense of propriety. He'll know how to treat a lady, charm her, and let Lily know that he can be a gentleman."  
  
He settled into his chair and sighed, "Killing two birds with one stone is bloody brilliant, don't you think?"  
  
James and Andromeda looked at each other, uneasy. He does have a point, they thought. Andromeda was very uncomfortable, James could tell. If he was in the same position, he would be wary too. His own situation wasn't too bad. She could help him win Lily's heart by showing her another side of himself. Amos Diggory would pale in comparison to him.  
  
Andromeda was unsure. She loved Ted. He was the only reason she could stand being in Black Hall. Her parents were pretentious and every bad thing she wasn't. They always made inquiries to Lucius Malfoy, her cousin, about her and if she had a relationship with anyone. They favored Vincent Crabbe. The Blacks figured a marriage with Crabbe could erase the memory of her being sorted into Ravenclaw, an embarrassing fact tainting the Black name.  
  
It wasn't as bad as Sirius being in Gryffindor, but being in Ravenclaw and trying to hide the fact that she was dating a Muggle was unbearable. Merlin, what they would do if they ever found out about Ted. Pretending with James wasn't as bad, but it erased the suspicions and James had "pure" enough blood for them.  
  
Her parents knew she was rebellious and they would try later to match her with Crabbe. That could buy enough time for her to talk to Ted and figure things out. It was a sacrifice for him and that was all she needed.  
  
"I'll do it." James turned, surprised. "You will? Thanks so much! What about Ted?"  
  
She remembered her lover and smiled, "This is a sacrifice for him. I want to be happy and that can only be with him. Damn the Blacks anyway."  
  
*Just a note: Send your reviews ( I've been writing for some time now but I need your praise (and criticism) to refine my writing. You, as the reader, are my inspiration so don't hesitate! 


	2. Hell Hath No Fury

Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Harry Potter franchise. I'm merely borrowing her characters and their personalities for my (and your) personal enjoyment.  
  
A/N: This is my first Lily/James fic, so bear with me. Actually, bear with the characters because sometimes they don't like to cooperate with me. Have fun!  
  
Chapter 2: Hell Hath No Fury  
  
Next morning, the Great Hall proved to be a hive of interesting events. James dressed quickly and head downstairs with the Marauders, hoping that Lily would be there. The others were waiting for him, fidgeting and acting quite nervous themselves. Peter had been informed about yesterday, and patted him on the back for support. They all knew James Potter was an abominable actor, could he really do this?  
  
They paused at the doors, wished him luck and walked in. The four long tables were piled high with food. The scent of toast and coffee wafted through the air and the magical ceiling displayed a bright azure sky. The Marauders walked down the Gryffindor table and sat near Lily and her friends. Instead of James being the closest to them, as was his custom, Sirius filled the spot and greeted the girls. James chose to sit in between Peter and Remus, talking to them animatedly about nothing at all. Excitement ran through him, anxiously waiting for the right time.  
  
Halfway through the meal, James' eyes swung to the door. Andromeda walked to the Ravenclaw table next to them. As beautiful as before, she caused quite a number of heads to turn. Facing James, she sat down and smiled at him. Feigning a look of modesty, he made himself blush and looked down. He felt ridiculous doing it but did it anyway, hoping Lily or one of her friends would notice. They continued until James finally stood and whispered to Sirius, who was talking to the girls. He gave a sound of approval and waved him away. James jogged over to the table and sat right next to Andromeda Black.  
  
To all who saw, it happened in slow motion. Everyone knew how James loved Lily and how she had always berated him and never returned his feelings. This was how it had been since their first year. Even more so than before, it made others give Lily a higher respect to know that she had turned down the handsomest wizard in Hogwarts. With James and Andromeda sitting together, James had given up on Lily in pursuit of someone else.  
  
She had glanced quickly at them before anyone had noticed and kept calm. She knew that people would immediately start to search her for any reaction. Instead, she just tossed her hair and talked to Peter and Sirius, her expression quite serene. Remus was occupied talking to Alice McKellen. She smiled appreciatively at the couple. Alice blushed.  
  
It had only been three weeks since they started going around together and they were an adorable couple. Remus positively glowed. Both alike and completely different, Remus and Sirius had their ways with women. Remus had charm he reserved only for certain girls. Sirius, however, was very generous and gave his charm away frequently, much to the pleasure of all Hogwarts girls.  
  
She finished her breakfast quickly and gave the Marauders a warmer farewell than usual, pacing her steps and walked out of the hall without looking at James and his new love interest.  
  
***  
  
"She didn't look at all! The whole thing was worthless," he sighed, looking disheartened as she left."  
  
"James, you really do need to learn about girls," Andromeda whispered, "she did look and she didn't like what she saw. Keep that in mind today when you have Defense Against the Dark Arts. Be subtle, not too overbearing. From what I saw, you have a good sporting chance." She stood, getting ready to leave "I need my books for Transfiguration, would you like to accompany me, James?"  
  
She had put on her act again, brushing her hair away from her face, lips pouting, looking quite ravishing. James couldn't help but grin. She was completely different from what people believed. He chuckled, "Why of course, my lady. Shall we?" He snatched her hand and led her out of the Great Hall. He was beginning to feel like his old self. This isn't too bad, he thought.  
  
***  
  
Lily sat in the back of the library, mulling over what she saw. She had no right to be jealous of James or Andromeda. Why did she feel the way she did? She felt hurt, like something had been taken from her. She began to realize it was them. Their relationship was special.  
  
Whenever he made her mad, he would compliment her and ask her to go out with him. It felt normal for him to come out of the blue and hit on her. He was always so arrogant about her, always assuming that one day she would be his. She never encouraged anything between them and made sure she never did. Had she made him stop with their game? It was a game, so why did she feel so bad?  
  
Her eyes flickered towards the clock, noticing the time. Defense Against the Dark Arts was next. She promised herself she would think about it later. Meanwhile, she would carry on like she always did: collected, kind and never haughty. She gathered her books and went up to the third floor for class.  
  
***  
  
Instead of sitting in desks, Professor Haldir had set the tables aside motioned them to take a partner. James and Sirius nodded to each in agreement. As inconspicuously as possible, he glanced in Lily's direction and was furious to see her talking to Diggory. Head hung low shyly, he had asked her to be his partner. Sirius looked at James, livid and ready to burst and whispered, "remember it takes time, mate. I know you'll ruin him in Quidditch, you always do." At that, James composed himself and listened to Professor Haldir.  
  
"After summer holidays, I assume most of you are a tad rusty so we'll start slow. The object of this lesson is to know what these spells feel like. Magic, in itself, is far powerful than any man-made force on Earth. It has its limitations, of course, but those limitations can be stretched, depending on the inner strength in the person.  
  
When practicing magic, its important to know what is happening to the people it affects. We use magic for household purposes; that's perfectly fine." She pointed to a broom, which started to sweep them floor. It stopped after a few seconds and she continued.  
  
"Yet, when your magic affects another human life, it changes them. Physically, sometimes. Mentally, always. This is why the Three Unforgivable Curses are punishable by prison. To harness another's life is wrong and inhumane. As I said earlier, we will practice on one another. Use the spells you have learned and realize what the purpose of magic is. If you're having trouble figuring it out, I suggest you try to remember the title of this class. Now, go on!"  
  
The class nodded. Pairing off, the students faced each other. Taking turns, each person cast a spell on their partner. Alice cast a Tarantallegra Spell on Remus. James cast Wingardium Leviosa on Sirius while James felt the effects of the Jelly-Legs Jinx. Everybody then started to wonder what it would feel like if they were under Imperius or Cruciatus. Defense Against the Dark Arts was useful, they concluded.  
  
The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs left the class somber and pensive. James was furious. It was hard to keep his emotions inside. During class, Amos and Lily had worked together. He had flashed his signature winning smile and shouted, Accio Lily! When he had her in his arms, he shouted Rictusempra! Lily was laughing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. Amos turned to James and winked. James wanted to punch the smug grin off the slimy prat. It was unbearable. Seething with anger, he stalked off to the courtyard, trying to sort out his thoughts. Sirius ran after him, trying to catch up.  
  
Heading for the lake, James was almost there before he heard someone following him. "Sirius, I don't want to talk!" He turned, expecting to see his friend. "Snivelly, what do want?' he muttered, grabbing his wand. It was useless; Snape already had his wand out and shouted. Furnunculus! James's face broke out in boils. Snape looked triumphant and spat, "Did you think I'd forget what you did to me?"  
  
James lost it; he bitterly pointed his wand at Snape. "Petrificus Totalus!" Snape keeled over, stiff as a board. Pointing to his own face, he mumbled, "Reducio" then resumed his torture of Snape. Meanwhile, a crowd had gathered to watch them. Snape was still unable to move, wriggling with fury. "Mobilicorpus!" Snape's body was lifted off the ground and started moving towards the lake. Just as Snape was about to fall in the lake, James heard a shout. "James Potter don't you dare!" He whirled around to face Lily and said bitterly, "What does it mean to you?"  
  
This only fueled her temper and she glared at him. "Nothing. But last time I checked, nobody forced you to become an idiotic prat. I can't stand you. Of all the moronic things you could do.didn't you hear anything we learned in class?"  
  
He threw her a disgusted look, "did you?"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Oh bugger off, that's rubbish. You know what you did. How was it when--"  
  
He felt a hand clasp over his mouth. Andromeda hissed, "How dare you! Merlin, what am I going to do with you?" She pushed him out of the crowd and left Lily fuming. Snape was still midair above the lake. They didn't stop walking until they reached a clearing.  
  
There was pure silence. After a while, she looked at him and began to speak. "Do you know how much hard work you just made for yourself?" "No" He retorted. "Well, now you do. I came outside to tell you what I learned about Lily from Alice from Remus. But I don't think I should considering you blew it."  
  
"WHAT did you learn?"  
  
She took a deep breath and started with her story.  
  
*Just a note: Thanks for the reviews guys, I've fixed things up and it looks better. And yes, I'm a passionate Ringnut with a very special place in my heart for everything HP. The next chapter is done, I'm just fine- tuning it. Check in a few days, it should be up. 


	3. Time for Visions and Revisions

Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Harry Potter franchise. I'm merely borrowing her characters and their personalities for my (and your) personal enjoyment.

A/N: This is my first Lily/James fic, so bear with me. Actually, bear with the characters because sometimes they don't like to cooperate with me. Have fun!

**Chapter 3: **Time for Visions and Revisions

Arms propped on the windowsill, Lily gazed at the full luminous moon that hung languidly in the speckled sky. It was the night before her return to Hogwarts and she sorely missed the freedom of the wizarding world. She now sat with her two best friends, chattering amongst themselves and content to be going 'home.'

"I'm sorry we couldn't sleep over at my house. But you know how difficult Petunia can be. If it wasn't for Mum and Father, she'd wring my neck if she saw a spellbook lying around. Trying to impress her new beau Vernon, I imagine…"

Alice giggled, "What kind of a name is Vernon?"

Lily shrugged, "Apparently the name one gives a self-righteous prat who is the epitome of 'normal'. How about you? How's everything with Remus?"

Lily and Danae smiled while Alice blushed timidly. "We planned to go to Diagon Alley but he's not feeling well, so he promised a Hogsmeade date. We've been sending owls back and forth. He finally told me he fancied me in his last letter. He's really shy, you know."

Danae turned to Lily, interest peaked, "And how about _you_? We've matched Remus and Alice but you're a mystery. Half of the boys at Hogwarts would wrestle a troll to take you to Hogsmeade with them. _And then_ there's your most faithful follower. Why don't you give James a break?"

She hesitated, 'Well, after the biggest row we've ever had, I thought you'd know. James Potter is self-absorbed and has absolutely no human compassion. I won't deny the fact that he _is_ good-looking--"

Danae snorted, "Only good-looking?"

Lily conceded, "Ok, he's VERY attractive but when I see him hexing people and acting like he's has a right to break rules, it outweighs that dashing form."

Danae raised her eyebrow in suspicion, "And if he changed?"

**ooo**

"Then he'd be perfect…and I wouldn't mind being his girlfriend," Andromeda concluded, looking at James who sat distraught and crumpled on the grass.

"I swear James, Sirius's plan was perfect. You better have a great explanation for what just happened."

James started out weakly, "Well, Snape came after me and hexed me. I was only protecting myself."

"Did you do something to him?"

"Last year, after our O.W.L.'s"

She sighed, "Technically, it was your fault but you hadn't made a conscious effort before to be good. So I'll cut you slack. Try not to do it again or avoid Severus completely. He likes to sit in the outskirts of Lucius's group. Lucius talks to my parents. It could also mean bad news for me, too."

James helped her up and started walking towards the castle, arm around her shoulder. "I'll make a conscious effort."

"And you'll apologize to Lily."

"What?"

She looked up at him, 'You'll apologize because that's the _gentlemanly_ thing to do. Do you think you should?"

"Yeah, but what do I say?" He had never apologized to Lily before and frankly, he didn't look forward to it at all.

"You need to completely honest. Sound like you mean it. Heck, you need to _feel_ like you mean it. This'll set you on good terms because you'll need to be a bloody good friend to her before you can even think of asking her out."

When they stopped, they were in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. Andromeda stood, uncertain of whether to walk in with him. "I need to go the library. There's a book on the Densuageo spell that I need for McGonagall's essay."

James looked slightly disappointed then brightened up. "Oh, I have that one, it's in my dormitory. I'll get it for you. Hold on," He faced the Fat Lady, "Cockroach Cluster"

They walked into the common room together. While James ran to get his book, Andromeda looked around. Pairs and groups were gathered, doing their work. Lily, Danae and Alice were sitting at a table next to the fireplace. She ran her fingers through her hair, slightly nervous. For what reason, she didn't know. After a couple seconds, James came out, book and parchment in hand.

"Here's the book and my essay. McGonagall's corrections are on there so you won't make all the stupid mistakes I did. Have fun."

He drew nearer to her, unsure of what to do. They were in public. After checking to see if anyone was looking, he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and watched her go. After the portrait closed, he walked briskly over to Lily with a determined face.

"Lily, can I, er, talk to you? It's important." The words flew out of his mouth. Why should I be nervous, he thought.

She paused, looking at him tentatively. He was nervous. In her six years of knowing him, she had never seen him act nervous. "Sure, grab a chair."

James didn't want to apologize in front of her friends. But again, he was at her mercy. Sitting down, he looked around then started talking.

"I just want to say I'm sorry. You know how Snape is and, well, he just got to me. I lose my temper far too much and it's wrong. I also lashed out at you for doing the right thing. I apologize profusely for that; I should have never attacked you in that way. I just want us to be on good terms and that means you need an apology. I'm truly sorry, please forgive me."

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, he rose and dismissed himself. Climbing up the flight of stairs, he looked one last time at Lily and sighed. _Good night, love._

**ooo**

Lily had watched them as soon as they entered the common room. He certainly seemed adjusted to his new lifestyle. They seemed easy going around each other. Andromeda certainly _was_ pretty. He obviously liked her because he wasn't arrogant around her. He was also rather boyish in his actions, especially when he kissed her.

Why was she thinking this, she thought. In some secret part of her, did she miss having him adore her? That was probably it. After all, such a handsome person falling for her was definitely flattering, even one as self-absorbed as James Potter. The scary thing was he was changing, just like Danae said. He'd apologized to her. He would rather be hexed by Snape than apologize to anyone.

Thinking back, what she'd admitted to Danae and Alice probably got the better of her. She'd never thought of him in that way before, and so naturally, her emotions were acting up. Why should she annoyed, or even jealous? She wasn't jealous, of course but it did hurt coming from James.

Taking up her quill again, she resumed her writing on the Great Wizard Inquisition in the middle ages. Looking slightly affected, she continued late until the night. Her friends, after finishing their work, had dismissed themselves to the dorms. Alice and Danae smiled at one another, thinly disguising the worry. They both knew Lily needed James as he needed her; it was obvious in their first year. Right when everything seemed to come together, James had made it harder.

**ooo**

The next morning, Lily woke up to sound of students bustling around the common room. She felt fingers brushing her hair away, "Lily, do you need help? Were you here all night?" The deep, roguish voice…

"I'm a perfectly capable, independent witch who just happened to nod off for a couple of seconds! Merlin, Potter I don't need you to look out for me! Or even better, don't look at all! If you'll excuse me, I'm late and I have to meet someone soon."

She gathered her books and dashed up the staircase, hastily getting ready for her next class. She lied to him, but it made her feel better to see him standing dumbfounded as she left.

The day went rather sourly for the both of them. Potions with the Slytherins was almost intolerable. Severus Snape had, of course, finished first and ambled up to Professor Balsam's desk with a smug look, glaring at James and Sirius' poor attempt to brew a Voice-Changing Potion.

James was occupied in flicking doxies into Malfoy's cauldron while Sirius was working his eye magic on a shy Gryffindor girl. When class was over Professor Balsam asked them to sample their potion, knowing full well that it was inadequately done. They ended up unable to speak for the rest of the day. Malfoy was worse off though, he ended coughing up bits of doxy, turning his tongue green.

**ooo**

Lily had purposely avoided the cloisters all day after Potions and cursed herself for walking by during lunch. James had conjured up a picnic basket for Andromeda and they sat under a weeping willow, laughing merrily at some unknown thing. She was reading to him from a book while he lay on his back and looked at her face. Jerk, she thought.

Care of Magical Creatures went well for Lily. Professor Kettleburn had introduced nifflers in their lesson. He went on to explain that trained nifflers are mainly used by wealthy wizards to find treasure. However, in the wild they are attracted to underground metal which they use to help warm their offspring. After taking notes, they were allowed a niffler to a group. Lily, Danae and Alice looked warily at their surroundings, wondering where to start.

"Lily! Your group can work over here. There's more shade here than where you're standing." Amos said pleasantly. She was about to refuse him when she noticed he looked slightly hopeful. Wondering what that meant, she assented.

Lily, Danae and Alice settled next to the clump of trees Amos stood by. Releasing their niffler, it sniffed morosely until it reached a rock and stopped. With great gusto, it started digging madly. After a couple minutes, the niffler started squeaking loudly, pawing at something in the hole. It had found something and couldn't get to it. Danae and Alice returned the niffler to Kettleburn, eagerness surmounting. Looking around suspiciously, Lily lifted the box and opened the clasp. The girls gasped delightedly.

In the tin box was a dainty necklace. Pulling it out, they admired the tiny, gleaming ruby and the delicate silver chain it sat upon. Scrawled in boyish writing, a note in the box was addressed to Lily:

_Lil,_

_A jewel for the Jewel of Gryffindor. _

_Your friend, Amos Diggory, Jr._

Her eyes flickered towards Amos, who ambled over to her. "I have to confess, I asked Kettleburn what we were studying next. That's how I knew." He paused, looking slightly embarrassed. "Do you want to go Hogsmeade with me?"

Lily stood flustered. "Well, um, I think, yes. Yes, I will." She smoothed her hair. "Yes." He laughed and gave her a hug, "Ok, so we're going. We'll talk later about it. I need to thank Kettleburn for this and you know he's not the most cooperative teacher I know…"

James seethed with inner anger. Damn the bastard, he thought. I'll take care of you later.

**ooo**

Dinner in the Great Hall was a different matter. Everyone sat merrily, eating and talking their hearts content. Peter had torn himself from his girlfriend long enough to have time with his friends. They all greeted James when he walked in and sat with the Marauders.

"Oy! Prongs has returned. How's my dear cousin, eh mate? Is she giving you grief? Dull? Loathsome? I see you can't stand her…" Sirius winked impishly at him.

"Ah, Padfoot, methinks she's only annoying for you…She's a brick when it comes to it, and she's very smart and she can hold her own in an argument, which makes her anything but dull." He grinned at his friends.

Remus chuckled, "I must say though, Prongs, you make a handsome couple. Who ever knew she'd pick a git like you. She's gorgeous, that one—"

For that, Remus received a jab in the side from Alice, who looked at him with twinkling amusement. "Although I'd say, she has nothing on my Alice…But still, she'd charm the socks off anyone, I imagine…"

'Thanks Moony, I'd say the same for you. You're a lucky guy. And Alice, watch out for Remus, he's pathetically romantic… _his_ loving is fatal! I almost got myself killed while watching you guys snog, I thought I'd gag to death at the sight..." James said, clutching his heart dramatically.

Sirius and Peter snickered at Remus, who grew pink to look at them. He changed the subject, "Danae, how's our favorite Muggle Graham Finnigan?"

"Graham is splendid, Remus. His uncle Seamus named him his heir and it'll be our third anniversary next week. He said he had something planned for me. And yes, I will invite all of you to our wedding. When are _you_ getting married Sirius?"

Sirius choked on his food, "_Excuse_ me?" He was wide-eyed, pale faced and squirmed in his seat. Everyone laughed. Lily held back her laughter, "Um, Sirius we were only joking, we know you're a confirmed bachelor."

Sirius eased in his seat, "Well, I'm not a confirmed bachelor but I'll make you a deal. When you two finally get married, then I'll seriously consider marriage. Heck, I'll even be your best man. But my chances of getting married are—"

"Very good," James concluded, smiling at Lily.

She blushed as he leaned in, cupped her cheek and kissed her. His lips were smooth as they glided over hers sensuously. The Marauders cheered at their table.

Then Lily woke up.

Just a note: Everything will be explained in the next chapter. You'll see more Andromeda as well. Also, expect things to heat up. After all, it isn't rated R for nothing…


	4. Once Upon A Dream

Disclaimer: Again, I own no rights to Harry Potter. If I did, I'd be filthy rich. Instead, I'm a starving college student with an imagination instead of a TV.

**Chapter 4**

Lily had woken up abruptly from her daze. She sniffled morosely, feeling a little sick. She was coming down with a head cold and lay on her bed swaying between consciousness and slumber. Of all the dreams she could have had, why this? Tonight's dinner was interesting, although it didn't have _that_ particular ending. That part was her dream. In reality, Andromeda had sat with them after their joking with Sirius. She held James' attention for the rest of dinner. During dinner, he made pleasant conversation with Lily and the Marauders but only had eyes for Andromeda.

He was sweet. He listened to her and made her laugh. He acted normal. This was completely different. She had never seen him act the way he acted with Andromeda. In the past, his other girlfriends would be quickly forgotten at the sight of the Marauders or a fellow Quidditch player. He would ignore her after a while and their relationship would fade away. The only thing that had been constant since first year, or so she thought, was that he relentlessly flirted with Lily, despite the other girls and their habitual nagging.

Well, that's great, she thought. James is changing and actually becoming nice. Let me rephrase that, _Andromeda_ is changing him. He's never made a pass at me since they've been together and that's almost gentlemanly for James. Why else would he hold the door for me or offer to carry my books? And why am I thinking about _him_ right now? I shouldn't. Amos and I are going to Hogsmeade. He likes me and I think he's sweet. Besides, I've never taken those rumors seriously; it doesn't sound like the Amos I know." Ever so slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

**ooo**

"Pass me more of Ogden's, Padfoot. Think I'll need a whole bottle fer the next Hogsmeade trip. Tha' bloody git…" James slurred, plopping down next to Sirius.

"I don't think so Prongs," Sirius gazed at own friend through his own hazy eyes, "See here, I can handle Firewhiskey better than you can. And when you get completely arseholed, you always sulk. Like right now."

James took off his shirt, it was getting hot. Wagging his finger at Sirius, he continued, "I never sulk. It's only the truth. I _ONLY_ speak the truth. Cor Blimey, is it hot or what? Can you feel your fingers, Paddy boy?"

"Yes I can, its just that you're pissed. You can't hold it down. As for Diggory, I know he's the world's biggest prat but just leave him alone. He might make her happy."

"What'd you know 'bout happiness?"

"More than you think, lad. If she really matters to you, then let her go. He might actually love her. As in 'real love'."

They looked at each other and burst into laughter. "Nah!"

"That's bloody impossible!"

"Diggory in love?"

"Not a chance, there's only three modes in Diggory-ville: apathy --"

"Hate and--"

"Come hither all ye supple girls!"

After drinking slightly too much, the mood changed. James started becoming emotional. So they left the Shrieking Shack and made their way back to Hogwarts, nearly escaping the caretaker Apolloyon Pringle. They settled down after awhile, hoping not to wake Remus or Peter. As the responsible one, Remus would merely observe them. Peter would join them at times but never often, as he had massive hangovers. That usually left the duo with plenty of bottles of Ogden's as well as bottled-up emotions. Lying in their own beds, they fell asleep promptly and without a fight.

**ooo**

_James lay on his side, following an invisible line along Lily's warm body. Her eyes lightened with glee as he worked his way up to her face, tracing her perfectly pouty lips which were now radiant from his kisses. Her cheeks were flushed and she snuggled up to him, batting her eyelashes on his bare chest. James pulled her on top and stroked her hair, bringing her down to kiss her._

_"How did it feel to be completely worshipped, love?"_

_She smiled lazily at him, "Brilliant" There were no words to describe what she felt. It was repose and restlessness, heat and cold tingles. Light and more light. Her body was humming with life. Already satisfied, she was surprised to feel herself stirring with his absentminded stroking. Shivers ran down her back and grinned at him mischievously._

_"James?"_

_"What, my flower?"_

_"I want to be in control."_

_He smiled at her, "But you are, love. Always. I can't help but be entranced when your pretty little body does things I never thought imaginable. I think you're holding some spell over me. After all, you are good in Charms—"_

_She tickled him, giggling, "That's not what I meant. I don't think you understand. Want me to show you?"_

_"Absolutely"_

Lily woke up panting, sweating and clutching the covers. Bloody hell? She wasn't supposed to be thinking of such things. Especially about James. Sounds of her breathlessness rose Danae and Alice from their sleep. They looked over at Lily, concerned.

"Whatever is the matter, dear?" Danae asked sweetly, walking over to Lily's bedside.

"Nothing…nothing whatsoever. It was just a nightmare." Lily sighed, sinking down into the covers once more. She didn't want to think about what just happened.

Danae shushed her, while she fluffed Lily's pillows. "Well then, try and get some sleep. Aren't we having Charms with the Ravenclaws? You know how competitive they are—" she said, waving her hand while she slipped something out from under Lily's pillow. She moved towards her own bed, pausing to give the object back to Alice. Alice took it and surreptitiously placed it under her bed.

Alice looked over at her, "Just relax, Lil. You're a prefect, not a headmistress. You work too hard."

Lily closed her eyes, thinking the same thing. One by one, the girls fell asleep after mulling over their thoughts. Lily was feeling strange, like a veil had been partially lifted, revealing something she had never known before. Danae smiled at the thought of Lily's awakening, as well as her fear of being rejected by her darling Graham. Muggles have always been frightened of witches and wizards, what would he say about her?

Alice thought about Remus and the secret she knew he was hiding. He was odd and endearing in his own way, quite different from the other boys in their year. He also knew an awful lot about herbs and other plants. As a matter of fact, he had given her the _concupiscencia potentus_ they used on Lily tonight. It was an awkward question to ask but somehow he had retrieved it from Balsam's private store, never asking once what it was for. The problem with Remus was he never asked questions or answered them when it really mattered. She felt deeply for him, but how could she trust him if he hid himself?

**ooo**

Being a new teacher, Professor Flitwick ran his class with a gentle hand. The students took full advantage of this, working together and whispering despite his squeaks of protest. Today's lesson dealt with the Disillusionment Spell in objects.

"You will continue to learn the Disillusionment Spell in Defense Against the Dark Arts. By the time you finish, you'll be able to perform it on yourself. Now have a go at it! But don't pair up—"

He spoke too late. People had grouped together, practicing on various objects. Flitwick sighed as he gave up and let them work. While Remus and Sirius chose to stick with the girls, James and Peter headed towards Andromeda and her friends. Waving to his friends, he pretended to trip and, coincidentally, made it far enough to end up in Andromeda's lap. He clutched his knee melodramatically, asking for her help. With a laugh, she poked his side and kissed his knee, making sure he was looking down at her.

Remus and Sirius snickered and gagged in their direction. Peter had started talking shyly to one of Andromeda's Ravenclaw friends and paused to chuckle in James' direction. He motioned towards his knee.

"Prongs, I never knew you were so helpless!"

"Ah Wormtail, that's my point. I can help but be weak-kneed in this lovely witch's presence." He smiled lovingly at her while Andromeda rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

Ignoring this, James continued, "Now, I think it's about time we showed these ladies what true wizards are made of." Rolling up his sleeves, he tapped his wand firmly on his head and, seemingly, disappeared.

With the Marauders focusing across the room, Lily couldn't help but watch James and Andromeda. True, she was breaking her promise to herself—to ignore him completely—but she had never seen them in class together. What struck her as odd was that other than the ridiculous antics he pulled, James seemed rather level-headed. Leaving Andromeda alone every now and then, he would walk around, Disillusioned, of course, and help out any others who were struggling. He would perform the counter-charm and repeat it over again, in detail. Lily had always thought James was a brilliant mind but he _was_ inclined to waste it. Such a self-less act was sweet, and she poured over her books with a tiny smile on her face.

"Have we started on the charm yet? I'd expect you'd be the first to finish, Lil," a warm voice told her. She looked over her shoulder and saw James's shadow leaning over her. She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Well James, I was just about to start when you _graced_ me with your presence."

He laughed and bowed, "Glad to be of service. Now, if you'll excuse me, a lovely lady needs my unnecessary assistance. Till later, my dear…friend."

He roamed over to Andromeda who was browsing through her textbook. "Any help, dearest?"

"I'm fine, James. I finished my work. How about you?" She pulled him closer, looking into his eyes, "how was Lily?" To the untrained eye, Andromeda looked longingly into his eyes. For reasons unknown, James found this irresistible.

He loosened his tie. "Uh, it…it went well. She didn't flinch when I got close. She would always push away when I'd whisper in her ear so that's a good sign…isn't it?"

Taking all the information in, she glanced around and whispered, "As great as this is going, Sirius thinks we need to step it up a tad. It's all over the school that Lily and Amos are going to Hogsmeade. Something major needs to happen between you and Lily; otherwise, you'll lose her to Diggory."

Flitwick interrupted them with a loud AHEM! They turned and looked sheepishly at their professor. After being dismissed, Sirius pulled them aside and spoke furtively. "Both of you: Meet me during dinner in the common room. I have an idea."

**ooo**

Amos Diggory was quite the charmer. Stepping out of the tub in the prefect's bathroom, he admired himself as he slipped on his boxers. Not too bad, Diggory, he thought. Tall, muscular, broad shouldered…and not a bad mind to boot. Well, at least in the charisma category. Moving towards the mirrors, he grabbed his shaving cream and started working on his annoying stubble.

Meticulously working, he was interrupted by another prefect, a Ravenclaw. "Evening, Amos," he said, tearing away at his garments and slipping into the perfumed water.

"Evening, Brocklehurst. How are we doing? Meeting a girl?" He grinned in the mirror, looking at Thomas' reflection.

Thomas sunk deeper into the water, "Of course! You know Amanda? She's in our year, a Ravenclaw. Second best looking girl in our house…" He smiled proudly.

Amos continued shaving. "Who's the first?" he said absently, looking over his shoulder.

Thomas stared incredulously, "Where have you been? Merlin, Andromeda Black is the best-looking bird in our _year_, maybe second only to Lily Evans! And she's taken…"

Amos was finished. He turned and grinned at his friend, "Damn straight, mate!"

Thomas laughed, "You smarmy git!"

Diggory couldn't help but smile. "I like to think so…" Moving towards the door, he waved to the young Ravenclaw. "Good luck with your bird! As for me, I don't need luck. I make my own…"

**ooo**

At dinner, the remaining Marauders kept up appearances. Having known of Sirius's plan, they entertained the girls with their antics. Peter had taken to joking with the girls with Remus as a sidekick. Remus didn't mind at all; he knew Peter never received attention from his parents and being with the Marauders gave him a confidence he normally would never have had. Even with his new Hufflepuff girlfriend, he was very easy and let her have the upper hand.

Remus was also thankful that it distracted Alice from his worried expression. He loved Alice and the fact that she didn't know his secret was painful. James, Sirius and Peter knew, as well as Dumbledore. Lily also knew, but only by deduction. She had asked him gently and he gave in to her. She was a clever girl, he knew that for sure. James would have to work harder to win her, especially now that Diggory is in the picture.

Diggory. He had obviously planned on sitting with her today, now more than ever considering James was gone. As he saw Amos swaggering to the table, Remus caught Lily's attention, trying to distract her.

"Lily, can I have a word with you?"

Lily looked at Remus carefully. He looked panicked. Motioning towards the door, she excused herself and started walking before she was intercepted by Diggory.

"Lily, are you finished with supper? I thought—"

"Pretty much, I'm having a chat with Remus. Its very important. If you'll excuse me, Amos…" With that, she rushed hurriedly to the door of the Great Hall, following after Remus.

Remus was waiting for her. Now that he had gotten her out, he had no clue what to do.

She patted his back, "Is there anything wrong? You don't look too good." She leaned towards his ear and whispered, "Is it a full moon already?"

He looked at Lily, wondering what on earth to tell her. She wants to hear something, and it better be good, he thought. Scratching his arm absentmindedly, he came up with something. "Er, I think I want to tell Alice about me. About Moony." He didn't want to, but he found himself telling her everything he had been feeling recently. Somehow, it was easier to tell Lily than the Marauders. He'd never had that problem before. But Alice was special.

**ooo**

"Well, we've been here before, haven't we?" Sirius said. He paced the floor nervously, quite unlike the first time they had met in the Gryffindor common room. He had gathered them on the plush crimson sofa and looked anxious, wondering what they would think. It would work, he thought, but at a price.

"Prongs and Andromeda, before you say no, you need to hear my reasons. It's quite rational once you think about it. Both of you have done excellently well. After all, my plan was bloody brilliant. Now we all know the biggest prat in school has asked our dear Lily to go to Hogsmeade. What to we do?"

He knelt down and gazed at them searchingly, "We put on a show. I guarantee you that Lily will be distracted by the both of you. If you didn't notice, she was pretty much looking in your direction—all with a little help from your friends. It was then that I came to a realization. Your love storyhas been a charming one, but very chaste. Judging from James' last relationships, this is unusual. In order to make this look real, it has to _be_ real. With other distractions gone, taken away by a mild love potion, that should spark a little flame in both of you that should last till our trip is over. What d'you say?"

James was speechless. Andromeda, however, had risen unsteadily from her seat. Facing Sirius, she took him into consideration and slapped him. "Who do you think _I_ am, Sirius Black!"

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, its nice to know that people care. Sorry for the delay, I have two papers, a math exam and a debate to plan. Yipes! I have a plan for the next chapter but I'm open to suggestions. Stay tuned!


	5. Fool Me Once, Shame on You

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter. If I did, I'd be filthy rich. If I did, I would probably be in living in a cabin in Colorado, painting the scenery. Instead, I'm a starving SoCal student with a penchant for Starbucks Vanilla Lattés. Enjoy!

**Chapter 5: Fool Me Once, Shame on You **

Sirius Black hummed to himself as he tossed lacewings into his brew. A love potion was a simple thing to make; the only difficult thing was measuring the potency. Too little and they might as well hold hands. Too much…Merlin, help us! After measuring the right amount, he stirred the potion vigorously and watched it change color, from a rich, dark blue to a brilliant crimson. After checking the temperature, he performed a heating charm on the cauldron and left the Room of Requirement. He was anxious to leave. He had plans for tonight. Plans that couldn't be canceled. Walking briskly down the steps, he didn't notice someone creeping out the nearest broom closet.

Chuckling silently, Severus Snape had eased his way out of the closet, waiting for Sirius' humming to fade away. He paused to look around. After a couple of seconds, he bounded across the hall and swung the door open, half expecting to see something forbidden, like bottles of Firewhiskey or Veritaserum.

Instead, he found a small-sized pewter cauldron in the middle of the room bubbling cheerfully. Against the wall, there stood several vials of ingredients and herbs for potions. Sneering at his surroundings, Snape paused to look at the book closest to him. Bookmarked with a quill was a recipe for a love potion.

"Do not use raw Lust Leaf consecutively for three days. May potentially prolong effects upon subject," he read. "For best results, use in potion."

A quick thought came to mind and he searched for the leaf or _concupiscencia__ potentus_. The main ingredient in a love potion, how trite! Should he be fought with his own medicine? After all, he is one of the bloody Marauders, or whatever they like to call themselves. How much is too much for our good friend? He smiled and dunked the lot into the potion. Grinning at the thought, he turned and left the room.

**ooo**

"Should we use it on her again tonight? I know she's been having dreams about James. I can feel it. If it were anyone else, she'd tell us." Danae whispered, looking to Alice. They were in the library, the night before their Hogsmeade trip. It had been a week and they were nowhere near getting Lily to realize her feelings for James.

"I don't know, I remember Remus saying something about three days in a row. I don't remember though…" Alice said thoughtfully.

Twirling a strand of hair absently, Danae sat up. "Hmm, could it mean that it'll have its full effect after the third day? You should check with Remus. Did he ask questions about you using it?"

Alice shrugged. "I'll try and find him. He's tricky, that one. If he wanted to, he'd disappear completely. It wasn't awkward asking him, but what was odd was that he never questioned why I needed it."

"Curiouser and curiouser," Danae mused.

Alice turned to look outside. The luminous moon shone out like watchful eye. "I don't think it'll do any harm, will it?"

"I suppose not." She looked at the clock. "It's almost time to meet Lily. Let's go."

**ooo**

Sirius was in the library when Danae and Alice passed by. _They look suspicious_, he thought. _There's something going on_. He was about to pull off the invisibility cloak when he saw her for the first time that day. He'd been waiting for an hour, wasting the ink and parchment he had brought for this certain occasion. She hadn't shown up. When he looked up again, she was there, smiling sheepishly as she adjusted her spectacles.

"Sorry, I was reading and completely lost track of time. So where were we?" She flipped through her book. "Oh yes, the Centaur Conquest of 1299. Turn your books and we'll start from there."

She waited patiently for the second years to open their books. Persis Weston was beautiful in every sense, she was smarter than he dared to imagine and had ignored Sirius since their first year at Hogwarts. That made her irresistible. It wasn't because he viewed her as a potential conquest but that she simply wasn't interested in him. Taking to books rather than boys, she spent her time tutoring younger years in Transfiguration and History of Magic.

Sirius smiled and eased into his chair as she continued talking. He had come to her once, claiming he needed "help" and she had cleverly dismissed him, asserting a pressing appointment, losing neither her tact nor her composure. His jaw had dropped when she walked away. No one had done that to Sirius Black. Ever. It was refreshing.

**ooo**

A dull throbbing on her temples had woken her up. It was early and Lily was in no mood to wake up. After having such great dreams in the past, she had never had a headache after waking. She found this to be strange. As she dressed for her date with Amos, she recalled her dreams about James.

_"I came as quick as I could," James grinned. "Do you know how hard it is to escape your own party?" His hair was disheveled, as usual, and he still wore his Quidditch uniform. He smelled like grass, butterbeer, soap, and ...James. She had to have him._

_Lily walked towards him and smiled. "I missed seeing you afterwards. Yes, I actually went to your Quidditch game. It was…interesting. But what was the crowning glory was seeing you strip off your shirt for your victory lap. And you know those Quidditch pants are going to be the end of me…."_

_Her eyes twinkled mischievously. She pointed towards her bed, "Head Girl's orders. You know what to do…_"

**ooo**

"Sirius had better come through. The specifics were that it would be a mild potion and we would both have our memory modified. No memory, no guilt, right?" James said, glancing in Andromeda's direction. He felt as though he was trying to convince himself. Would Lily really believe this? Despite the flirting in the past, she has to know that he has feelings for her. Or does she?

"That's true. After all, Sirius is reliable. If anything, it's one of his better qualities…," She mused, trying to sound cheerful. She was nervous; she felt like throwing up. Her problem wasn't James; James certainly wasn't bad-looking for what she was about to do. But he wasn't Ted. He didn't have Ted's smile or his knowing grin when something was funny. It just felt unnatural, like she was being misplaced.

Hogsmeade had been thrust upon them, too early for both people's taste. The last week had been the usual banter, but with a nerve-wracking undercurrent. To know that they wouldn't be in control of themselves was disconcerting to the both of them. They did their best to try to cover their fears with jokes and other nonsense with the Marauders. It had worked so far. James kept a close eye on Lily and Amos the whole week. They seemed friendly, almost playful. It killed him.

They now sat in the Three Broomsticks, nursing a butterbeer each and whispering in hushed tones. They were alone. Peter went off with his girlfriend; Remus and Alice were in Honeydukes. Sirius said he'd stand by if anything happened but Sirius did have a tendency to wander about. After a couple minutes, Sirius appeared, walking in briskly and sat next to James.

He cleared his throat. "It's ready. I left it to simmer for three solid days. It should be pretty mild, so no worries there, right? Here are the vials, each of you take one. It should last for an hour or so. As for me, I have James's cloak and I'll be here in case anything, er, naughty, happens. Good luck!" He waved good-bye and headed for an empty corner with a good view of the whole room.

No sooner than when Sirius had left, Amos and Lily walked in., pausing a little to take in the scene. James turned to Andromeda, not daring to look at them lest he betray everything they worked for.

Amos looked for a spot where they were visible to everyone. It had to be perfect. Not necessarily for her, but for what it would bring to him. Lily Evans was a hard commodity to come by and, Merlin, he'd make his date worth it. If things went smoothly, he might even try to take her to his bed. Picking a table close to James and Andromeda, he made sure James saw him kissing Lily's hand before he sat down.

Seeing the pair sit down, James grew anxious to start. "Andromeda, could we now? Please?"

Lily had never accepted anyone's advances without some doubt. James had always admired her for being cautious. It proved her maturity and strength of mind. This time was different. She looked like she was having a great time. This was wrong. They were wrong for each other. It was breaking his heart. Good God…

Her heart was aching; it was too much for her. Andromeda wanted an outlet, something to distract her from the ache of not having Ted by her side. She was scared to love him. He was different from everyone she'd met. She would waste away and die if he ever left her. Any outlet of distraction would suffice. Even this one.

"I think so too….Cheers!"

They both started to drink their butterbeers, finishing in a couple of seconds. They looked at each other anxiously but nothing happened. Nothing happened until…

"Come here, love! Have I told you how bloody beautiful you are?" James smiled lazily at Andromeda. He pat his lap, waiting for her. She followed eagerly, taking full advantage of her position to give him a kiss. His mouth opened for her and their tongues met shyly, at first, then became more demanding. She stifled a small moan and ran her fingers in his hair, enjoying its wonderful softness. She rained kisses on her neck, and he shivered through his chuckles.

Lily was completely unaware of what was going on. She talked to Amos animatedly, chatting about nothing in particular. However, she began to feel different. She ignored it at first but it traveled up through her body like quicksilver. She began to feel warm pulses in her head and coursing through her body. Her eyes felt hot. Everything began to take a rosy tint…

"Lily? Where are you going? Why are you—" Amos stammered, looking as she stood up.

She didn't hear his protests. Instead, she walked over to James, oblivious to the dark haired beauty on his lap. She tapped him on the shoulder and looked at him expectantly, hands on her hips.

"Excuse me James, I think that spot belongs to me."

**ooo**

Severus Snape hated charm. Charm had won his spineless mother's heart and destroyed her life. Love was a fault, a lapse of common sense and, above all, a weakness. His mother had been weak. She had succumbed and married the most detestable cretin of a man. Severus wasn't proud of his father, he wanted nothing more than to leave their miserable home and never think of them again. Damn charm.

Men with charm were silent killers, sucking the vitality from every young girl they'd cross. Men like Sirius Black and James Potter were dangerous, therefore, deserving of pain. With that thought, he smirked and continued reading

"The red blossom of _Concupiscencia__ Potentus_ is a highly effective flower used as a mild painkiller, sedative and may also be used for love potions. However, when used for love potions, it may extinguish itself in the more resistant person if given another source of energy, such as another person experiencing the same effects. Consequently, the potion will focus the stronger subject affections on the new person…"

**ooo**

Andromeda moved over James and suddenly stopped. She felt alone, abandoned, and cold, as if buckets of ice had been thrown on her. She stood up and looked at Lily then James. A flood of realization came back her and she ran for the door, ashamed and furious at herself.

James watched her leave, completely unaffected. When she left, he turned back to Lily, eyes smoldering naughtily.

He pulled her down and whispered in her ear. "What are we going to do now?"

She smiled.

"I've waited for this for so long. Well, it hasn't been that long. Do you remember last night? I believe I followed all the Head Girl's orders, am I right?"

James kissed her, savoring the feeling.

Lily grinned. "You have no idea, James. I believe your points might win us the House Cup this year. Care to make more?" She toyed with his zipper.

Amos stood dumbfounded during this whole performance and came back to reality at the sight of Lily on James. Her words came back to him, haunting him. _Last night...Head Girl's room...hasn't been _that_ long_. He strode over to James, seething. "Potter!" he growled, "Don't you dare touch her. I swear on Merlin's beard I will…"

James chuckled, "I'd like to see you try, Amos. Lily's made her choice. Haven't you, Love?" He pulled her in for a kiss.

Amos felt his fists twitching. He wanted to punch the silly smirk off of James' face, but it wasn't wise in front of Rosmerta and half the school. Besides, Amos Diggory did not pursue women like a desperate man. They came to him. Always. Swearing revenge, he stormed off, pushing Danae out of his way. She looked at him, disgusted and turned to find Lily as uninhibited as a veela on a on a ship full of sailors.

"Lily! What are you doing!" Danae cried. She dropped her bags and pulled Lily to her feet.

Lily laughed and threw her arms around Danae, "Danae, this is incredible! Oh, James and I have so much to talk about. Did you know he feels the same way I do? I had no idea—"

"Lily, we need to go. We have, er, things to talk about."

She playfully pushed Danae, sighing. "We always have 'plans', don't we? Danae, when are you going to realize that I was meant to be with James. Like he was saying last night, he was talking about how wonderful life would be if--"

Lily stopped talking, suddenly feeling speechless. Danae took the opportunity to drag Lily out of the Three Broomsticks and towards Hogwarts. "Are you insane Lily Evans! After going on about James being the most revolting specimen of a wizard, I find the both of you snogging away in front of everybody! Merlin! Tell me what's wrong! Oh—excuse us Severus."

Danae had bumped into Snape, who was scuttling over to the Three Broomsticks. Lily turned, dazed and bewildered, to look at Snape. Suddenly, she stood, frozen in place and staring into Snape's eyes. Her vision turned from a rosy glow to stony gray. What she saw in Snape's eyes haunted her.

Coldness. Hate. Revenge. Biting sarcasm shielding complete fear. A dark-haired, undergrown boy hid under his bed. Tears of rage and panic fell from his face. A thick, sloppy man grabbed the boy's collar and tossed him towards the wall, fists ready. In the corner, a woman cried uncontrollably.

Her jaw dropped and she ran for the castle, shuddering and shivering.

"Lily!" Danae called weakly. She had no idea what was wrong with her friend. Part of her was delighted that James and Lily had resolved their feelings, but having Lily and James snogging as if they were in a broom closet was not in her plans.

"Alice! Lily's gone mad. James and Andromeda were together, snogging, then Lily just up and left Amos to steal James!"

"Dear God "Remus muttered and ran towards the Three Broomsticks. Alice and Danae looked after, puzzled, and ran to Hogwarts to catch up with Lily.

**ooo**

Remus swung open the door, looking for James. Nothing. Peter tapped him on the shoulder, looking around cautiously.

"James and Sirius went off to look for Andromeda. She could hurt herself in her, uh, condition. I stayed behind to let you know. Let's go search around Hogsmeade. Oh, and keep your journal out. They promised to write if they found her first," he whispered.

No sooner than he'd spoken, James's neat handwriting started to appear.

"HQ"

They looked at each other in relief and left the Three Broomsticks, heading for the Shrieking Shack, or, as they lovingly called it: "Headquarters."

**ooo**

"Sirius, nothing I do is going to change the fact that I cheated on Ted. Why did I do this? Of all the idiotic things you could think of!" Andromeda cried bitterly.

Sirius flinched and took his bashing. It _was_ his fault after all. He made them do it and wasn't there to stop them from making themselves look like fools. He wandered off while they created enough gossip to last till their seventh year.

They now sat in the Shrieking Shack, in the common room. Created from years of studying spells and transfiguration, it was a haven before their monthly adventures. Almost exactly like the Gryffindor common room, scarlet couches were scattered all over and large decorative rugs covered the stone floors. A Gryffindor banner graced the wall above the fireplace and pictures of the Marauders were displayed proudly on the walls. James sat in front of the glowing fire, ashamed and distraught at this new situation. He would never be able to win Lily now. They sat in silence until a whoosh of wind drew their gaze to the door.

Remus stood at the threshold, relieved. Peter soon followed. "You've found her! We came as soon as we could. How are you feeling Andromeda?"

She shuddered. "Cold. Very cold."

Sirius cleared his throat and moved towards Andromeda. "Prongs, Moony, Wormtail, let's finish this." They all grabbed their wands and circled Andromeda. Focusing on her, they shouted in unison. "Disembogue!"

She slumped to the ground, eyes closed. They moved her to a sofa and waited for her to wake. They needed four people to counter the potion; otherwise, it might have lingering effects. After a couple of minutes, Andromeda yawned and blinked. Her rosy vision had disappeared. She felt tired, sleepy and heartbroken. Sirius hugged her. "Sorry cousin, those feelings will go away. If you'll give me a second, I'll erase your memory. Are you fine with this?"

Andromeda sighed, "Yes, Sirius, I am. I don't want to remember anything. I just want all of this to go away."

Peter turned to face them. He was keeping guard. "Padfoot, I don't think that'll happen right now. Snape is coming this way."

They looked at each other. Snape had tried to catch them before. What made this time different was Andromeda. If he could prove they were all alone with Andromeda, he could try to pin something on the Marauders to get them expelled.

James stood up. "Follow me." One by one, they Disillusioned themselves and left through the back door before Snape made it to the front door.

**ooo**

It was a tough day. This Hogsmeade trip was certainly one to remember. Sirius was snoring peacefully in his bed. Peter was curled up in the covers, despite it being a warm night. Remus couldn't sleep. Today's events were whirling around in his head. He had realized something today and it had to be done. He was scared. He needed to talk to James about it; James would know what to do.

"Prongs? Are you awake? I think Alice deserves to know. After all, I've never felt this strongly for someone. I have this mentality that if I keep someone close, they're just going to hurt more when I tell them. I know you, Peter, and Sirius didn't care when you found out but that's just it. I'm not in love with you guys and I honestly think she has real feelings for me. I tried to keep her at arm's length but its getting harder to lie to her. I can't do it. What do you think, James?"

Silence.

"James?"

**ooo**

Danae sighed and traced the pattern on her pillow. She couldn't sleep.

"Girls?"

She heard mumbles.

"Alice, Lily, I think that it's time to tell Graham. He's asking questions that are beyond me. It's getting harder. I keep my answers as vague as possible without lying to him, but I know it'll backfire. Christmas is coming up and I want to tell him, no regrets, with all the truth out. I just don't know how."

"Tell him what you need to without overwhelming him. He'll learn everything in time but what he needs is you. He needs to see that you're the same person you've always been…just with magic." Alice said, turning to face Danae.

"Lily, and you?"

Silence.

They rushed downstairs, expecting to see Lily sitting next to the fireplace. Nothing. Nothing except three Marauders in their pyjamas.

"Do you know where--?"

"No, and do you—"

"No."

Peter spoke hastily. "Sirius? Did you perform the counter spell on James?"

Sirius shivered at the realization. "No."

Alice remembered Remus's words. "Remus, what did you say about the third day when you gave me that, um, thing?"

He looked confused. "I said that after the third day… the effects can be prolonged to a whole day or possibly more." He shifted around, uneasy. "Er, who did you dream about?"

Alice bit her lip, looking away. "Well, it wasn't for me…it was for Lily."

Sirius looked into the fireplace, "So, let me get this straight." His voice cracked. He looked haggard, hair disheveled. "Lily and James were snogging away for no apparent reason today. No reason except the fact that he's under a more powerful love potion than I thought and Lily is lusting for James because of the side effects something you girls gave her. And now we can't find them. Where could they be?"

_Author's Notes:_

_Chapter 5 is by far one of the longest chapters I've written. I also realize you may have questions about things that seem confusing…it'll all be explained in Chapter 6. Sorry for not updating sooner, I just recently learned that Psychology and Rhetoric papers do not write themselves. But I'm done with my first semester, I'm registered for spring semester and I have nothing to worry about. Expect the next chapter to come a little sooner than this one. Happy holidays and here's a little sneak peek of what's coming up. _

_Teaser for Chapter 6_

_Quidditch__ Finals have come! Amos seeks revenge against James for a wounded ego. Remus has something to say. Sirius has his heart broken—or does he? A visit from the newlywed Weasleys, revelations about Snape, Lily's thoughts and confessions from both sides. Stay tuned!_

_Btw, I need to give kudos to all the lovely people who have reviewed my story. You have no idea how good it feels to have people think your work is semi-decent. You have been nothing but supportive, and your comments are downright flattering to a humble college student trying to be something great. Your comments keep me writing hint: write more reviews:) _

_Thanks so much to: GypsyBeLLs, Blabbering Beauty, Alqualyne, gray eyed girl, jerseygurl88, irina, sazen, jj00, Blue Eyes At Night, cxigner, Jessie Flower, angel-dolphin1, Tomoe, Sneha, Kritikitty, Avalon, Girl of the shadowed wate, and Janet_

_Last thought: Just thought I'd give kudos to the guys. Thanks go out to Jack Johnson and "Mediocre Bad Guys," Josh Kelley and "Home to Me" and John Mayer with "Great Indoors"/ "Not Myself." The Rolling Stones, Glassjaw and Thursday were also a big help. _


	6. Sous Entendu

Disclaimer: I have no rights to anything related to the Harry Potter franchise, except the souls of my written characters… (insert evil laugh)… Seriously, if I did, I wouldn't be a starving English major living in SoCal. I'd be riding an elephant in India, exploring a pyramid in Egypt and having my characters do the same. So….enjoy!

**Chapter 6: Sous-Endentu**

_Sous-Entendu (French): An expression for "hidden meaning" or "implication" where something is unsaid but assumed to be understood between those involved._

Whether the somber tone of night or the bustling sound of students in the morning, the corridors of Hogwarts are both strange and wonderful things to walk in. For Dulcie Devon, a second year, this was her first time breaking the rules. She tiptoed through the halls, half mortified of being discovered by Mr. Pringle, the caretaker. Behind her she heard a door creak. She dashed behind a column and waiting, looked out. She turned to see and stood confused. The form of James Potter had walked inside a door. But he wasn't alone…she heard someone else's whispers. It sounded like a girl.

Before waiting to see, Dulcie left. Perhaps they were running from someone…like Mr. Pringle. She hurried down the stairs and turned a corner. She was fully terrified now. She heard steps behind her, then beside her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and stood frozen, expecting to be expelled by Pringle any second now. Cringing, she opened her eyes and gawked; this was something of a dream. Standing in front of her was Sirius Black, the handsomest wizard in the school. He looked preoccupied; and sublimely gorgeous doing so. Every first year in her house would be so jealous—he never took notice of anyone younger…

"Dulcie, have you seen James Potter? I, er, forgot where to meet him…Please tell me if you've seen him."

She swallowed hard. "Yes, I, I did. On the seventh floor. Walking inside a door, wi-with someone else, I think."

Sirius was relieved. "Thank you so much. Oh….and Dulcie? Could you not mention this to anyone? I'm so forgetful sometimes….oh, watch out Pringles just left the library…"

Fear replaced her awe once more and she scuttled away, thankful for the advice.

Sirius watched her leave then promptly donned James' invisibility cloak and left_. James must not be in his right mind, he left his cloak but took the map so we wouldn't find him. Nice, James. But I know what's on the seventh floor…_

Turning in the hall, Sirius thought hard. _Let my friends be there. Please._ He turned the knob and opened his eyes. Thick, shag carpets lined the floors. A fireplace crackled somberly in the corner. The furniture and material were all in shades of white. The only exception were the plush scarlet covers of the massive bed in the center of the room. There he found them, curled up together, lying asleep. Clothed.

**ooo**

Remus, Peter and the girls sat in the common room. The grandfather clock behind them chimed a little too loudly, reminding them that no one had spoken in the last ten minutes.

They heard the Fat Lady's portrait slam shut, breaking their silence. Heads turned, they spotted Sirius levitating a very sleepy Lily and James.

He motioned to the pair. "I put a sleep charm on the both of them—they should sleep through the night. I'm going to levitate James up to the room. Could one of you ladies take Lily to your room? I would but I can't." He grinned. "I've tried."

Alice stood up and grabbed her wand. "I will. I've never levitated anything really heavy though."

Remus smiled at her, "When you cast it, 'lift' with your arm instead of your hand—otherwise you'll be tired really fast."

Once Lily and James were safely in their proper rooms, the girls and Marauders joined together in the common room.

Sirius looked at the Alice and Danae, "You know, it never occurred to me that Lily might like James already. So…why did you give Lily the Lust Leaf if you knew she did?"

Danae spoke up. "Well, we knew about it but she didn't. Things are always clearer when its not your own dilemma, isn't it? We wanted to bring it out in Lily and have _her_ come to the realization. Besides, as her friends, we think she overthinks things sometimes. We wanted her to _feel_ it, for once, instead of rationalizing through it.

Its hard for her to emotionally invest because she's like us. She's a skeptic romantic. When she finally does allow herself to fall in love, trust me, she's going to fall hard. While they were snogging, Lily said something to me. She said, 'did you know James feels the same way I do? I had no idea… we were meant to be together…"

Obviously, the feeling is there. She needs good faith on James' behalf." Alice said, looking at the stunned faces of Sirius, Remus and Peter.

They turned to each other, amazed once more. "Wow."

Remus paused, "Wait, so that means…"

"Guys, I think we should tell them about Andromeda. It'll make better sense." Peter said. They looked to Sirius, who was tracing the outline of a chair. He didn't want to look up.

Sirius sighed. "I always get stuck with the ultimatums, don't I? Okay, where do I start?" He stood up, pacing.

"Well, when school started this year it was the same thing. James was pathetically in love with Lily but, like a dolt, never came out and said it the proper way. He also had no tact whatsoever and came off as arrogant. Well, we all decided to help him out. We talked with my cousin Andromeda and she agreed to pretend to go out with James. She would teach him how to be a gentleman and Lily would see that he wasn't the jerk she imagines him to be.

It went nicely until we saw Amos get too comfortable with Lily. On a side note, James hates Amos with a passion. So we wanted to add a little more fire to James' 'relationship' so I made a mild love potion to make their 'relationship' more convincing. Apparently, it was too strong but I really don't think so. I'm perfect at Potions and I followed the instructions exactly."

"Its true. You're better than Snivelly," said Peter, hugging a pillow, completely absorbed in the story.

He continued. "However, I think that it was something else that made it strong. This is where Lily comes in. Remus, Peter and I wanted to know if he really cared about Lily before he tried the love potion, otherwise, the whole plan would be useless. So we mixed a combination of a sleeping draught with a mild Veritaserum. That way, we could hear his dreams and subconscious thoughts by him telling us in his sleep."

"Which was bloody brilliant idea," Remus mused.

"Thanks. We heard him talking to Lily—the dream version, that is. Besides some embarrassingly naughty things, he really does loves her. The way he talked to her…its obvious. So with that potion in his system, along with the love potion and his feelings for Lily, I'm sure that's what affected him."

It was Remus' turn to speak up. He turned to them with a sudden realization. "Wait a minute…you girls gave Lily the leaf. I think it might have made some sort of connection or path for the both of them to…well…dream _with_ each other…."

It was the girls' turn to be speechless.

Danae started. "I guess it could happen…and that was a lot to take in…and it was…"

"Wrong! On so many levels!" Alice cried. "Can you imagine how many rules you broke?

"Eleven," Sirius said promptly.

"That's not the point. You did that without James knowing about it. He's your best friend! What if he finds out?"

"He won't."

They heard some shuffling and all turned to the stairwell. They saw a tired fourth year with a book, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. It was too risky to talk in the common room at such a late hour. Before going back to bed, they all decided to get together in a less public place, lest their secrets be heard by two, ten then a hundred people before classes start again. That has always been the Hogwarts way.

**ooo**

Light trickled inside the dormitory, shining its way into the eyes of James Potter. He blinked, the world still foggy in his vision. The room was warming up nicely and he stretched, looking at his mates. Peter was curled up inside his blankets, looking like misshapen lump of blanket, pillow and clothes. Sirius wasn't in bed. Remus was lying in bed, arms behind his head, deep in thought.

"Morning, Moony."

Remus sat up and smiled, "Morning Prongs, did you sleep well?"

James yawned. "Better than ever, actually. My mind feels clear. I don't remember half of what happened yesterday but, somehow, I'm fine with it. I don't want to know actually. Today is a new day."

With that, he stood and headed for the loo. Quite content with himself, James took his time brushing his teeth. He felt refreshed but there was still something in the back of his head, lurking, waiting to spring out at him.

Hand on doorknob, he stood frozen as it all came back to him. Falling to the ground, he sat, ashamed, guilty, mortified. _How could he have done that? He was sick-minded scum of the earth. He was worse than a Slytherin!_

**ooo**

The sound of birds chirping inside the trees woke up Lily. Besides waking abnormally early for a weekend, she got up and grabbed her toothbrush. She tiptoed to the lavatory, stretching her oddly sore limbs. Alice and Danae were still sleeping. After washing her face, she gazed in the mirror, obviously forgetting something. She couldn't remember her day in Hogsmeade after fleeing for the castle.

It was only after rinsing out her toothbrush did she realize what had happened. Why? She was always in her right mind. Couldn't she stop herself?

**ooo**

Sneaking out.

Deep, stolen kisses in the dark of night.

Wandering the halls. Escaping the Head Boy.

Up, Up, Up the stairs.

Walking around in circles.

Thinking of scarlet bedsheets.

Entering a door.

His lips are trailing down my throat.

Her hands are on my bum, pushing me closer to her.

He's taking off my robes…with his mouth.

She's running her nails down my chest.

He's grinding himself against me; I'm so ready.

She's stroking Little James, well, Big James now.

His low, breathless moaning will be the end of me.

Her velvet tongue is doing things a Hoover can only dream of.

There's no turning back and I wouldn't want to.

He's waiting for me, waiting for me to look.

Her eyes need to be on me, when I completely lose my sanity. Oh. My. God.

**ooo**

Breakfast was grim. Lily ate practically nothing. Danae and Alice threw uneasy glances at Remus, Sirius and Peter. James stared at his plate. Andromeda was nowhere to be seen. Only Peter ate, reluctant to waste food and yet quieted by the silence. Not even the approach of the morning owls ruffled feathers. Only Lily, Alice and Remus received posts, which they both promptly stuffed in their robes.

After breakfast, Sirius headed towards Ravenclaw quarters. He already felt immensely guilty about what happened with Lily and James. Still, nothing could top how he felt about what happened, what he did, to Andromeda. She was his favorite cousin. She understood completely how he felt about their horrid family and their twisted, narrow values.

Approaching their portrait, he saw Andromeda step out with one of her friends. Her face looked a little pale but she was in good spirits nonetheless. Seeing him, she turned and said a few words to her friend, who left, but not before throwing him an interested glance.

"Hello Sirius." She smiled.

"Hi," he said, not knowing what to expect. "How are you feeling?"

She considered his look of fear and laughed. "You look at me as if I were dying! Honestly… If anything Sirius, it's you I should be worrying about. You and your drama…"

Not quite convinced, he walked her to her class, asking her about Ted, N.E.W.T.s and anything else to pass the time. _Something's not right. She's fine, almost too much though. Like she's hiding herself._

**ooo**

_Something is wrong with my class_, thought Professor Kettleburn. Normally, Kettleburn expected mild chaos—it came with the subject. However, to have all eyes on him—it was disconcerting to him. Today's class was Gryffindor and Hufflepuff: a generally good class considering it took its mood from James Potter and the other Marauders. However, they were silent, gloomy.

"Alright class, group up and study for next Friday's examination. Remember to focus on the anatomy of the unicorn and its habitat."

James, Remus, Sirius and Peter gathered together and worked for once, trying to put their focus on something other than the day before.

Not taking any more of it, James broke the silence. "Did you try to stop me before I left with Lily? Do you know if anything, er, happened?"

Sirius considered the look on James's face. He felt guilty. "James, we kept you away from Lily until bedtime. You had settled down and were acting pretty normal. Afterwards, you left without us knowing. You also took the map so we couldn't find you. I took your cloak and searched everywhere while Remus and Peter stayed with the girls. You ended up in the Room of Requirement. From what I could tell, it looked like nothing happened. We did a body-bind on the both of you when we got back to the tower."

James still felt disturbed by his actions. "Are you absolutely certain? I think we did do something. Regardless, Lily hates me now. I know it. The best I can do is to stay away. I've hassled her too long and she's going to hate me for the rest of her life. If I stay away, it'll be good for the both of us."

Lily sat with Alice and Danae, trying to ignore the fact that all eyes were on her. They had class with the Hufflepuffs. She didn't know what she felt towards James right now. It was all too confusing. Some part of her wanted to run to James. The louder part wanted her to apologize to Amos. Right now, she was beside herself with how she treated Amos. Why couldn't she stop herself? She felt as though invisible hands guided her to James. She had to apologize to Amos, it was the least she could do to make him feel better.

She stood up and headed for Amos, hoping she wouldn't die of mortification when she apologized. He was facing her now, looking sullen and embarrassed.

Amos put on face as soon as she was heading his way. She had deeply humiliated him and he wasn't about to forgive her without dragging her guilt and propriety through the mud. Besides, guilt made people do astonishing things and all Amos needed was one date—one date would get him everything he needed.

"Amos, could I talk to you for a sec? I'm really sorry for what happened yesterday. I know I wasn't myself and I want to apologize for all the embarrassment I caused you. I know you won't want anything to do with me so I'll excuse myself and let you be."

He considered her face for awhile and grinned. "Lily, who am I? I'm Amos Diggory. Its okay. I was hurt yesterday but I'm resilient. Yesterday doesn't matter. Lily, you're a special person and I want to know you better. Is that alright with you?"

She was surprised he was fine, more than fine. "Thanks so much, I was worried you'd never forgive me. That sounds great Amos, we should definitely get together. I'll see you later, okay? Bye!"

She finished her work easily after. However, she had to talk to James to get him out of her mind forever. This was the end of the road for them and she had to decide how she truly felt.

**ooo**

Sirius felt bad. Horridly bad. He had just left the Marauders at lunch. He couldn't bear to go through another silent meal. It was his fault James and Lily left together in Hogsmeade. He had promised James and Andromeda he would watch them in case anything happened.

Instead, he wandered around in James's invisibility cloak, looking around the Three Broomsticks for Persis. She had mentioned going with friends but didn't find her. When he came back he found Lily and James snogging away. He thought of pulling them away from each other but dismissed that when he saw everyone gawking at the pair. He couldn't just pull them away with everyone watching. It was too suspicious and Pringle could confiscate the cloak. Instead, he ran towards Madam Puddifoot's to let Remus know.

He now sat alone in library, in his favorite dusty, little corner. No one ever came here and the somber silence of his corner calmed him down whenever he needed it. It was also good for the occasional 'tutorial' with the girl of his choice, he mused. Although lately, his 'tutorials' have been occurring less and less, due to Persis completely occupying his mind. If he could only show her how he really was…

His thoughts were broken by the sound of voices coming his way. Unwilling to talk to anyone, he headed for the door. If Sirius had paid more attention, he would have noticed that the voices belonged to Remus and Lily. They had chosen the back of the library for its seclusion. With all of Hogwarts humming with news of James and Lily's 'fun,' Lily wanted nothing more than to disappear and focus on something other than the snickers and ogling that came her way. Remus wanted to help her out, and in doing so, hoped to vent his own frustration.

"Lil, I know you're going to have a hard time this week. Trust me, when something else comes along, this will all be forgotten." Remus said, pulling up a brave face for her. He doubted it but kept his mouth shut.

"I know that's not true Remus but thanks for the thought. It's not really that, it's just that I'm going to have to live with what James and I have done. I don't what he's told you but I think we did, well, _everything_ two people can do with each other…Even if nothing did happen, I can't think of him in the same way. Besides, I'm moving on. Amos is willing to try again and I sort of like him. He's not like most people and he seems to open up to me."

Remus wanted to speak but stopped himself. If she knew how Amos really was, she wouldn't think twice about him. Still, Lily tried to see the best in people, even Amos Diggory.

"So," he said, changing the subject. "Have you responded to Molly's invitation?"

Her face brightened immediately. "You were invited too? I just need to ask to ask my mum and father but otherwise, I think they'll say yes. Molly and Arthur just moved into their house and said they would love to have visitors. She said I can bring whomever I want. How about you? Is it too close to the full moon?"

He smiled. "Actually, it's a week before so I'll be set. I think Sirius might come along. Don't worry about James; he has plans with his parents. So does Peter, I think."

She rolled her eyes, "Thanks 'Moony,' you're always looking out for me. But as for you and Alice, I do hope you'll tell her soon. She deserves to know."

"I know, I know," he said, not looking up. "I was planning on telling her then. It just seems right to tell her there."

She stood up and gave him a hug. "Well, let me know how it goes, okay?"

"Okay"

He watched her leave the library and couldn't help but think about what they had talked about. Could Alice accept that he was a werewolf? Could he bring himself to tell her about Greyback? Can Lily and James really solve their problem together? And to what lengths will Amos go to get what he wants from Lily?

**ooo**

The warm hospitality of the Gryffindor common room was usually absent around midnights. Students normally didn't study late on weekends and came down on only on the occasional bout of sleeplessness. However, that wasn't Sirius' reason for being there. He had come down to sneak a peek at the common room's occupants and found Persis sitting comfortably in front of the fireplace, reading a book. A rare occurrence, he had taken advantage of the situation and pretended to read a book off a table. He noticed she was slightly drowsy—she had looked tired all week and assumed she was dealing with the stress of N.E.W.Ts.

"Anything interesting?" Sirius inquired, hoping anxiously not to sound like an idiot.

Persis looked up and smiled. "Its something my sister sent me. She knows I want to learn about countries I want to visit, so naturally…its nice now and then to take a break from parchment and textbooks, don't you think?"

She looked so beautiful. When she smiled at him, Sirius couldn't contain himself. He wanted to know her, to take to Hogsmeade, to make her laugh. He wanted more from her than just a snog or a shag. She was unlike anyone he'd met. She _deserved_ more and he wanted to give it to her.

He started out. "Persis…"

She faced him wearily, knowing what was coming. "Sirius, if you ask me, I'm just going to keep on saying no. Please—spare yourself the embarrassment."

Sirius had asked her several times before and it frustrated him not knowing why she didn't like him. Instead of leaving without a word, like he usually did, he stood up and asked her firmly.

"Why?"

"Do want the brutal truth?"

"Yes"

She sighed, closed her book and searched his face. He really wanted to know. Slowly, she drew out her words and looked at him regretfully.

"Sirius, you're a handsome, talented, intelligent wizard who I believe can be something great. The trouble is…you don't care. You skip class, pull pranks, don't take anyone seriously and with the exception of the Marauders, you don't feel for people. It's true. I can see it from how you treat Snape. What happened to compassion? You can also see it from how you treat girls. _That_ story is one unto itself. I seriously doubt you've ever loved a girl."

She paused, taking in his expression.

"Don't think I don't know about the ones you take to the Astronomy tower or the library. Its common knowledge to us girls. If 'the gorgeous Sirius Black' happens to glance your way, don't expect anything more than a visit to a broom closet. If you do, you'll end up heartbroken. It may work on some girls but I'm not one of them. I don't want to be a vague memory of any given day.

Getting psychological here, I don't think its entirely your fault. You're a kind-hearted person with a couple cold spots. That's nice and all but its not what I'm looking for. Deep down inside, Sirius, are you who you imagine yourself to be? If I'm wrong and you really want to pursue me for something other than a shag, think about it. Treat people better. Grow a conscience. A Sirius with compassion is something I could really go for. Only with change, there's a good chance. Until then, I don't want to hear from you."

Sirius watched her leave. She had been honest and it tore him apart. _Am I really a monster? She's right about my family and everything else. But I do care for people. I'm not as self-absorbed as I come across. I'm a good person… aren't I?_

The portrait door swung open. Sirius turned his head, already knowing who would be there. Remus and Peter escorted a very sleepy Andromeda to a plush sofa. A minute or so later, the girls came down from their dormitory.

Danae yawned, "It's so hard pretending to be asleep without actually sleeping…"

"Yeah, and Lily's a light sleeper so we couldn't come earlier," said Alice, rubbing her eyes.

"Right, so where do we start?" Sirius said, rising to add a log to the fireplace. They had all planned to meet here and talk about what happened with Lily and James. Only now it was harder to talk, when they knew both sides of the story. Andromeda broke the silence.

"Alice, Danae, I'm assuming you know my part in this story. Believe it or not, but James has improved immensely in the gentleman category. He never really knew how to just talk to a girl or listen or read their facial expressions. And from what he says, he's really fallen for Lily."

"And Lily can like James, if she allows herself to like him. We just need time to bring them together, have them spend time with each other and get past everything that's happened," said Danae.

Remus sat up in his seat, "Well, the Christmas holidays are coming up in a couple weeks. Arthur and Molly Weasley invited Lily, Alice and me to come see them. You know, newlyweds and all. They said we can bring whomever we like."

Sirius grinned. "That's perfect! I'd like to visit my cousin. The Blacks have never taken a shine to Arthur because of how he feels about muggles so it's the perfect chance to get to know him better…" He beamed once more. "Boy, would my parents hate that…So what d'you say Andromeda?"

"I'll technically have to 'break up with James' to make him 'single' again before the holidays…As for the trip, my mum would have a fit if I went. Besides, I've been dying to see Ted," Andromeda said wistfully, thinking about Ted.

"But would Lily go if she knew James would be there?" asked Danae.

"I already spoke to Lily about that, "said Remus, "and she thinks that James has things to do with his parents."

"Just have James come a couple days later then all of us. It'll seem rude for her to leave so suddenly." Sirius offered, "And she'll be far away from that twit Diggory," He added, with no small amount of loathe in his voice.

The portrait door swung open once more. Everyone froze. A tired prefect dragged his way in, not noticing the quick flash of a girl disappearing. They waited until they heard a doorknob click shut. Without saying a word, they went back to their dormitories. Andromeda snuck out in the invisibility cloak. They all went to sleep (eventually) with their new plans and problems still swimming in their heads.

**ooo**

A/N: Sorry for the (very long) wait as well as being patient with me. Classes have been way too demanding. I'm taking Modern Brit Lit, Shakespeare and Englishy classes. I've also taken a Creative Writing class and I'm working with different writing styles. With the release of HBP, I'm been bitten by the writing bug again. With the way things turned out, the teaser for the Chap. 6 is more along the lines of the Chap. 7 & 8. I needed this chapter to clarify and speed up the emotional plot of the story. If you haven't noticed already, my fic is not only the story of James and Lily but of all the Marauders and how they ended up where they are now. The next couple chappies will be more plot. Expect Christmas with the newlywed Weasleys, also the sad history of Severus Snape and a sort of showdown with Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa and Bellatrix Black versus Sirius and Andromeda Black. Till then!

Thanks to all my reviewers, you've inspired this chapter along more than you know. Also thanks to Maroon 5 for "Secret;" The Killers for "The Ballad of Michael Valentine;" Franz Ferdinand for "Tell Her Tonight;" and other songs that helped.


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